Phyllis “Tootsie” George was born to Art and Opal (Borneke) George on May 18, 1948 in Princeton. She grew up in Santiago with her parents and lived in their Santiago home until recently. She was the youngest child and the only girl with four older brothers - Leroy, Jim, Lester and Rodney. Tootsie enjoyed being a tomboy and spent a great deal of time helping her dad with mechanical work at his garage in Santiago.
She loved sports, being around people and ice fishing. She was known to drop her line in your hole if you were fishing and she wasn’t. She umpired and coached softball in Santiago, Princeton and Foley. She was a dedicated and appreciated Santiago Lions member who had a passion for raising funds by selling raffle tickets and calling bingo. She received recognition for her work as a Lion, as well as a distinguished service award for her work with Leader Dogs for the Blind.
Linda Keeler, Santiago, fondly remembers when she and the other employees at the Hanging Kettle would see Tootsie headed their way on her three wheeler and joke: “What raffle tickets is Tootsie selling today?!” Linda said: “Everyone loved Tootsie. She would try to sell a raffle ticket to anyone she met, but she never kept anything for herself. That was Tootsie’s nature. She certainly wasn’t bashful. She was very community minded.
Lifelong friend Donna Hansen recalled how she would drive Tootsie to Princeton for donations from local businesses. Donna was amazed at how adept Tootsie was at knowing which businesses would be most likely to donate to the Lions. Donna recalled some of Tootsie’s favorite things. She loved Christmas lights and Donna and her and Opal (Tootsie’s mom) would drive around and look at the lights. She smiled as she explained how Tootsie loved crispy hashbrowns - especially at Tom Sexton’s Cafe - a wonderful restaurant right in Santiago where Tootsie worked with my sisters Judy, Karen and Gloria. The restaurant burned down in the 1970’s. Tom Sexton was lifelong friend and fishing buddy of Tootsies and after serving in the war, Tom had some wounds and Tootsie often helped him change bandages. Tootsie was a friend and caregiver to many older residents in the Santiago area.
Tootsie loved bananas, chicken and fish. Tootsie was especially fond of smelt and often told Donna: “Clear your schedule so we can go to the smelt fry in Duelm”. How fitting that Tootsie’s funeral was held on the day of Jack and Jim’s annual smelt fry!
My sister Karen’s husband (Larry Sakry) and Tootsie attended school together at a country school west of Santiago. Karen had stumbled upon a junior high school picture that we shared and enjoyed just the day before her death, ironically.
I got to know Toots when I worked at the gas station in Santiago for Virgil Gilyard. I could see her unmistakable 3 wheeler as she drove by the Hanging Kettle and Santiago Bank headed my direction as I worked the cash register at the Country Store. She often helped stock the pop coolers. Tootsie’s signature comment was: “Here comes trouble”. Tootsie had a hearty and infectious laugh.
My twin sister Terri and older sister Ruth played ball in Santiago in the 1980’s and Tootsie umpired. Ruth recalled how Tootsie would stand in the middle of the road by the gas station waiting for her ride to the ballfield since she knew the Erickson clan would be passing through. After all, what’s a game without an umpire?
My older siblings have known Tootsie much longer than I have. Judy, Karen and Gloria played ball with her starting in the mid 1960’s. They played for the Gin Mill against many local teams from Princeton, Milaca and Pease. A majority of the players were simply there to have fun. But Tootsie took the game seriously. She knew the rules and enforced them rigorously. Karen recalls one game when they were short two players and Tootsie played the entire outfield. You can imagine the surpise of the visiting team when the Gin Mill won the game. Tootsie could place hit like you can’t believe.
Gloria recalled how one evening a player wore mocassins instead of tennis shoes at a tournament in Mora (Jordie Stay, not to mention names). Mocassins were not allowed and Jordie had to borrow someone’s shoes. They worked their way around the batting order and Gloria was up to bat - with no shoes. The player on 2nd base was wearing her shoes. At one point (with the bases loaded) they went into the stands and borrowed a 70 year old family friend’s shoes (Hazel Halvorsen). Tootsie wasn’t amused because she took the game seriously, but everyone else had a good laugh! The ball team had quite a following and many local residents attended games. My grandma Doris and grandpa Oscar rarely missed a game. It was a chance to see their grandchildren play, as well as see Tootsie’s antics.
Jordie Stay, who owned Stay’s Bar in Santiago in the 1980’s, reminisced with me about many of Tootsie’s wonderful qualities. “She cleaned the bar for us. She was there every day and very dependable. I played ball with her and was fun to play ball with. She had a mean line drive over third base! She was a friend to many and I will never forget how good she was to her parents. She had a huge heart and she will really be missed.”
Santiago resident Barb McKinley explained how she first met Tootsie when she moved to Santiago in 2001. Barb recalled: “She followed me into my house and introduced herself and welcomed me to the neighborhood. She let me know she collected aluminum cans to recycle if I had any I would like to get rid of. She proceeded to ask me a slew of questions. I was impressed with her knowledge of local history and people.” The two women became close friends. Barb and her husband Rex took Tootsie to the MN State Fair in 2001 (her first trip there). Barb also invited Tootsie to board an airplane for the first time in 2012 and they visited the Bahamas.
Cindy Woolhouse remembered how when she would clean the bar in Santiago (Ridgerunners when Bud and Renee Baumgartner owned it). Cindy shared: “I could hear the hum of the three wheeler before I saw the lights come on as Tootsie made her way down the strip in Santiago at 5am. Tootsie would knock incessantly until I unlocked the door. Tootsie proceeded to visit with me and keep me company while I cleaned. Tootsie sure will be missed.”
Shelly Jehoich has helped coordinate Santiago Cleanup Day since it began in 1999. She said: “Tootsie helped with every cleanup day from 1999 to 2013, when she wasn’t able to help anymore. She was a diligent volunteer and always handled the tires.” Shelly told me that Tootsie’s only requirement was a stash of Pepsi (unlike a majority of clean-up day volunteers who usually prefer Coca Cola). Shelly said she considered Tootsie George the unofficial mayor of Santiago.
Ray Mulvey, owner of Bailey Rays in Santiago, referred to Tootsie as an icon of the close-knit community of Santiago and said he truly appreciated her unique and straightforward personality and matter-of-fact attitude.
Tootsie George was a fixture in Santiago indeed. She was one-of-a-kind with a giving heart. Her passing leaves a void that’s hard to wrap your head around. Who will ride a lawn mower through Santiago now? Til we meet again, Tootsie...
